Setting up Ultima Underworld with dosbox staging on linux

ultima-underworld-dosbox.org

A brief guide for how to set up Ultima Underworld for use with dosbox staging on linux. This guide assumes that you already have dosbox staging for linux installed and configured.

* Create dosbox directory structure 

Under the directory where you keep dos games, ~GAMEDIR~, create the following directory structure:


#+begin_src 
.
└── ultima-underworld
    ├── cd
    ├── drives
    └── mt32-roms
#+end_src

* MT32 Roms

Acquire the mt32 roms, and save them under the ~mt32-roms~ directory. You want the following:

- ~CM32L_CONTROL.1989-12-05.v1.02.ROM~ 
- ~CM32L_PCM.ROM~
  
* Acquire windows installation

Assuming that you own the game on /gog/, the easiest way to do this is to use the gog installer together with /wine/. Install the game to ~INSTALLDIR~.

* Extract cd-rom

Use ~7z~ to extract the contents of ~$INSTALLDIR/game.gog~. Copy the contents to ~$GAMEDIR/ultima-underworld/cd~.

* Patch executable

Apply the mouse look hack to ~$GAMEDIR/ultima-underworld/cd/UW/UW.exe~ using the hack applier website: [[https://johnglassmyer.github.io/UltimaHacks/patcher-site/][UltimaHacks - hack applier (github.com/JohnGlassmyer/UltimaHacks)]] 

* Dosbox configuration

Create a file called ~dosbox.conf~ under ~$GAMEDIR/ultima-underworld/~, with the following contents:

#+begin_src 
[sdl]
fullscreen = on

[autoexec]
mount d cd/ -t cdrom
d:
mixer MT32 25

[cpu]
cycles=fixed 20000

[midi]
mididevice = mt32

[mt32]
model = auto
romdir = mt32-roms/

[sblaster]
sbtype = sbpro1
sbmixer = false

[mixer]
rate=44100
blocksize=1024
prebuffer=25
crossfeed = on
reverb = large
chorus = light

[mouse]
mouse_raw_input = off
mouse_sensitivity = 150
#+end_src

* Setting up sound

Start dosbox in ~$GAMEDIR/ultima-underworld/~. 

Run ~INSTALL1.exe~ and select the Roland MT-32 and soundblaster pro options. Now, run ~INSTALL2.exe~ and do the same.

* Running the game

To run the game, start dosbox in ~$GAMEDIR/ultima-underworld/~.

Within dosbox, run ~UW.bat~ for ultima underworld, and ~UW2.bat~ for ultima underworld 2.